A Little Blame Goes a Long Way
by Iluvff
Summary: An incident from Danny's past comes to light thanks to a heartless old acquaintance, pinning him with undeserved blame, and threatening his reputation and his career.
1. Chapter 1

**A LITTLE BLAME GOES A LONG WAY**

 **©2017 By Lori**

Ben Kokua put his index finger between his neck and his stiff collar trying to create a gap for air where there was none. The lack of comfort from the cumber bund was just as bad. "Whose idea was this, anyway?"

Chin Ho Kelly huffed in agreement with Ben as he stood in his rented tuxedo looking all the world like a figure in a wax museum. "I feel like the main course in a luau. Trussed and tied, and over the fire!"

Dan Williams just laughed at his two companions. Even though he too was born and raised in casual Hawaii, he had had plenty of opportunities to climb into a tux during the times he spent with his worldly-wise Aunt Clara in New York and abroad. It wouldn't have been his first choice of apparel, but he knew from experience that complaining about the discomfort just made it worse.

But he too was curious about why they all were here for a command performance tonight. The event was a political fundraiser for Governor Paul Jameson, and an opportunity for him to showcase the success of his administration. As high-profile and high-ranking employees who answered directly to the Governor through their boss, Steve McGarrett, the men of Five-O were told that they _**would**_ appear at this party tonight. Usually, they only had to come to these types of events when they were in charge of security, which was being handled by a private firm this time.

"At least no one's asked you to dance, yet, Ben. I doubt if fire-dancing would be acceptable in this setting," Danny chuckled as he kidded his friend.

"That wouldn't be a good thing in this crowd, bruddah. I haven't seen many wahines that I would want to dance with tonight." Ben surveyed the passersby. "Definitely an older crowd," he said gloomily.

"With old money, too! Maybe somebody will ask ME to dance!" Chin laughed.

"Good luck, guys! I'm headed for the food," Danny called back as he left his compatriots and waded into the throng of business heads and socialites.

Just then, he heard Governor Jameson speaking from the platform at the front of the room to get everyone's attention. The consummate politician, he called out the names of different supporters and recognized dignitaries he saw in the room, pausing as each one received applause. He thanked so many people for so many things that it all just ran together in Dan's mind, and he stopped listening as he checked out the elegant spread of appetizers, seafood, and native fruits at the back of the ballroom.

Nearby, he caught sight of Steve McGarrett, standing alone and hanging on every word the Governor spoke. _I'll bet Steve was the teacher's pet in school_ , Danny thought as he grabbed a plate for his food. _Always paying strict attention, never distracted by friends wanting to play._ Danny chuckled inwardly, _I would be the friend trying to get him in trouble-I always have time to play! Might as well make the most of it!_ _Hey, they've got shrimp!_

Steve's rapt attention to the governor's speech was interrupted by the activity at one of the food tables, where he glanced over to see his second-in-command making himself quite at home with a plateful of edible delicacies.He cracked a subtle smile. He appreciated seeing Danno off-duty and enjoying himself, which he obviously was; he deserved it. On duty, he was dedicated, loyal, trustworthy, bright, a right-hand man any boss would be lucky to have. Off duty- well, he was a lot of fun to have around.

Steve himself had not had anything to eat at the party. He preferred not to be distracted by food at such events so he could be prepared to speak intelligently to anyone who might want to discuss politics, work, or today's burning issues. He always ate later, usually alone, unless Danno could be persuaded to join him. _Not tonight, I'd imagine. I don't think he'll be hungry later._ He gently laughed at his friend as if he were an impish little brother.

Danny recognized that he was being watched by his boss. With his plate in one hand and a drink in the other, Danny wandered over to where Steve stood. "We're off duty, right?" he asked Steve in a whisper.

"Yeah, no duty tonight," Steve confirmed as he looked curiously at Danny's drink. "What is that? Champagne? It's bad for you, you know," Steve glowered, with his hands in his pockets.

Danny slyly replied, "Only if you don't drink enough of it!"

Steve tried to contain his amusement. Danny was pleased with himself for indeed successfully distracting the staid boss.

As the Governor continued to speak in vague and lofty tones, Danny spoke in a low voice, "Steve, seriously, do you really not know why the Governor wanted us here tonight, as guests, I mean."

Keeping his eyes on the Governor, he replied, "No one told me anything except to be here, and bring the whole team, no questions asked." Steve then looked at Danno meaningfully as if to say _'this wasn't my idea'_. "At least you seem to be enjoying it…."

Before he could finish his thought, Steve and Danno were both quite taken aback when they heard the Governor mention their collective name, "Hawaii Five-O", but they missed the context in which it was spoken. Now, though, the Governor had their full attention.

"I am very proud of our state police officers, and the recognition they have garnered worldwide for effectiveness in law enforcement. Their record of arrests, convictions, and persistence in solving difficult crimes and confronting bad influences on our way of life has contributed substantially to our state's enjoyable standing as a safe tourist destination and a fine place to live, as well."

Right on time, Chin and Ben arrived at Steve and Danny's side, with curious looks on their faces. Steve just shrugged at them, as confused as everyone else.

"The formation of Hawaii Five-O, led by Steve McGarrett, has been the most successful endeavor I have undertaken since becoming your Governor. I have entrusted the safety of the people of these islands to Mr. McGarrett and his select team of Dan Williams, Chin Ho Kelly, and Ben Kokua and have not been disappointed in the care and dedication with which they dispense their duties. All four men are here tonight, and I'd like to take this opportunity to publicly thank them for what they do for us all every day. Gentlemen, please join me on stage."

As the applause grew and the Governor beckoned them to join him, all eyes traveled to the back of the ballroom where the four stood. Stunned but in control as usual, Steve motioned to his team to follow him to the stage. Danny gulped down a mouthful of banquet fare and found a place to quickly stash the rest of his food and drink, while Chin and Ben straightened their increasingly uncomfortable tuxedoes.

Arriving on stage, Steve spoke on behalf of his unit, expressing very brief appreciation for the accolades but taking the time to introduce his men individually and speaking just a little on each one's contribution as the Governor presented each man with a congratulatory plaque. Seldom did McGarrett heap such praise and even more rarely in public. While each man knew that Steve's words were somewhat demanded by the situation, they also knew they were heartfelt. However tough Steve was, publicly and privately, he was also their avid defender and most ardent advocate.

After the Governor recognized some other important contributors to his administration, the speeches ended, and the party-goers returned to the serious business of mixing and mingling. Many chose to make a point of speaking to the men of Five-O, congratulating each one—so many, in fact, they wound up forming an impromptu receiving line.

The Governor stood nearby, beaming mischievously at the detectives' discomfort at being the center of social attention. Being the head of state government and the party's host, he of course constantly had his own circle of social climbers surrounding him, so he was used to it. He knew the Five-O team was not. He leaned over and shook their hands again. "Congratulations! And welcome to my world!" as he laughed. He was in a jolly mood, having successfully gotten Steve and his detectives here tonight without them finding out about the honor in advance of the party.

Walking away from the densest part of the crowd, Governor Jameson mingled around the ballroom for quite some time before he ran across two middle-aged ladies engaged in conversation —one a long-time political supporter and resident of Honolulu, the other her well-heeled friend from the mainland whom he had only just met earlier that evening.

Addressing the visitor, he said, "Well, Mrs. Davaut, I hope you'll think about staying in our lovely state. You can see we're kept very safe here with Five-O on our side."

Governor Jameson's friend reinforced his comments. "Of course, Genevieve. That's what I've been trying to tell her, Governor. Five-O is legendary, and they certainly deserve the honor you bestowed on them tonight."

Mrs. Davaut tensed herself and bristled. "I'm sorry, Governor, Carmen, but I don't think I could bear to stay here permanently, or even for much longer at all, not considering what I've just seen." She cast her eyes upward as if repulsed and fanned herself. More firmly, she continued, "This is really too much. Carmen, may we return to your home _**now**_ , please?"

"Genevieve, what has gotten into you, dear?" said Carmen, flabbergasted at her friend's sudden need to leave the party and embarrassed that she said it right there in front of the governor himself.

"Mrs. Davaut, what is it? Has something upset you?" Governor Jameson politely inquired.

"Governor, I just can't believe it. Why would you have such a man in a high position in Hawaii's law enforcement? And to _**honor**_ him, no less…," Mrs. Davaut expressed, aghast.

Astonished at her questions and condemnation of someone evidently a part of Five-O, the Governor gasped, "I have no idea what you're talking about, madam. Of whom are you speaking?"

Mrs. Davaut remained quiet, apparently close to tears, so the Governor spoke again. "If you're talking about someone who is a part of Five-O, well, you must be mistaken. I know each of those gentlemen personally, and I'd stake my life on their reputations-without hesitation!"

The visitor to the Islands raised her head and made direct eye contact with Paul Jameson. "Then YOU would be the one who is sadly mistaken, Governor." The head of state was shocked, and both held a staring contest for several seconds before Genevieve turned to her friend and took her hand, "Please, let's go, Carmen. I really can't stand to be here."

Slightly offended but ever the consummate politician, Governor Jameson spoke up again. "Mrs. Davaut, please wait. Whatever problem there is, I'm sure it can be rectified. Why not come to my office tomorrow morning, and we'll talk about it. If there is indeed something I need to know about one of my staff, I'd really like to hear it, but I'm afraid this is not the time or place."

Genevieve Davaut insisted, "That would not be possible. In the morning, I plan to be on a plane on my way back home to California."

"But you just got here! And there's so much you haven't seen of Hawaii yet." Turning toward the Governor, Carmen said, "She only got here day before yesterday, and this is her first trip to Hawaii." Turning again toward her friend, "Genevieve, you shouldn't go home yet. You need to stay here and rest. You've had such a trying time…."

Deciding to let these two ladies debate the issue of leaving or not, and convinced that this was a case of mistaken identity, the Governor just listened. He did, however, glance around to see if the Five-O men were still entrapped by the congratulatory crowd he had previously left them with. They were, but it had dissipated so that he could easily see them and catch Steve's eye. He waved in their general direction to bid them to come over to him.

Ever alert, Steve McGarrett saw the wave of the hand and noticed that its broadness seemed to bid not just him but all of them to come over. So, he politely interrupted the several conversations that were going on and motioned Danny, Chin, and Ben to follow him over to where the Governor stood across the room with two ladies.

Genevieve implored, "No, I can't stay!" Just then, she saw the Five-O men approaching. "Carmen, I really must go," as she stared at the group of men. As much as she wanted to flee, it seemed her feet were made of concrete and would not budge. The longer she looked, the more the other people in the room faded out of view and all she could see was … Dan Williams.

At that very moment, he too saw her, recognized her, and stopped in his tracks. Danny stared at her in shock, unsure whether she was whom she appeared to be and hoping desperately he was mistaken. _Older…, yes. Wearier…, yes. Just as angry…, yes. It's her._

Genevieve Davaut finally uprooted herself from her spot and fled from the room, with Carmen and the Governor in tow.

Seeing the trio suddenly departing the affair, the other three Five-O men stopped as well, uncertain about why they were bidden by the Governor and whether to follow them as they exited. Steve did follow, going in the general direction toward the Governor, but Chin and Ben hung back. They were excited with tonight's honor and assumed the Governor just wanted them to meet some political supporters to whom he could brag about his state police. Glad that they may have just managed to avert that opportunity, Chin and Ben turned around toward Danny with the idea of continued mutual celebration, but he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Later, only a few attendees remained in the ballroom as the party wound down. Chin and Ben had left, and even the Governor had gone home. Steve would have been gone, too, had it not been for wanting to touch base with his second-in-command before he left for the evening.

It took a bit of searching. He knew Danny was there somewhere—his car was still in the parking lot. In his hand as he hunted, Steve strangely carried the congratulatory plaque with Danny's name inscribed on it—one of the servers had found it apparently forgotten near one of the exits.

With amusement, he briefly considered the possibility that Danny had met a female companion during the evening and left with her, but he had not seen anyone like that with him all evening. Not so much concerned as he was curious, he was checking just one last place or two before he left when he recognized the figure of a lone man out on one of the ballroom's many lanai's, intensely studying the view by moonlight. "Danno?" he called out. There was no response. Even though it was dark he was sure it was him. "Danno?" he called again. This time Danny turned toward him, so Steve spoke, "What are you doing out here? The party's over, and you forgot your plaque."

Stepping away from the lanai's railing where his hands had been propped, Danno—looking a little rumpled around the edges, Steve thought—reached out with one hand toward the plaque as Steve approached him. All at once, he stumbled and fell toward Steve, who made one big stride forward with his long legs and caught him by reaching out with both hands, even though the plaque was still in one of them.

"Hey, hey! Are you all right?" as he moved one of his arms around to the back of Danny's shoulder to support him. Danny struggled to hold up his head and stand steadily. "What's wrong, Danno?"

"Nothin'. Leave me alone." As he shook out of Steve's hold, he knocked his own plaque out of Steve's hand. It fell to the hard concrete and broke into several large pieces.

As a puzzled Steve watched, Danny clumsily reached down to pick up two of the larger pieces, one in each hand. "Well, I guess that is quite symbolic, isn't it, Mr. McGarrett?" Then he casually threw the two pieces down, where they again broke in two more pieces each. "And that very definitely is the end of that."

Confused and alarmed, Steve stepped over the fragments of the ill-fated plaque and clamored toward Danny, "What's gotten into you?"

Danny jokingly held his wrists out ready to be handcuffed, "Aren't you going to arrest me for littering?" he laughed mightily toward Steve, who was quickly coming to the conclusion that his friend was intoxicated—very.

Less panicked now but still very concerned with this sudden turn of events, Steve spoke in a serious tone, "What about 'drunk and disorderly'?" He was not happy and not joking as he stared his friend down. "How much have you had to drink?"

Danny answered too honestly, "Obviously a good bit, but the champagne wasn't strong enough. I had to start in on the hard stuff so I could really begin to feel it."

Not so much disappointed as he was dumbfounded, Steve looked his friend up and down. He felt as though he was talking to a different man than the one he had spent time with just more than an hour earlier. "Danno, somehow I suspect this is not just too much celebration. What's the matter with you?"

Looking at the bloodshot blue eyes, Steve could see Danny's mood swiftly shift from carefree to sadly careworn. "Burying my troubles, that's all."

That brought a look of dismay from Steve, who couldn't understand Danny's disposition on a night when they were honored guests. _What had happened?_

Looking uncharacteristically spiteful toward his boss, Danny continued. "Well, if you're not going to arrest me, I guess I'll go party some more," as he turned away and started walking unsteadily down the steps toward the parking lot, holding on to the stairway railing for dear life.

Steve hurried to block his path and held his arm. "The party here is over, and you're not going anywhere near your car. I don't want to have to scrape what's left of you up off the road later tonight."

Cruelly, Danny shouted out, "Why not? Quick and painless—hopefully. Let me go!" as he unsuccessfully tried to elbow Steve away.

Hearing such a stupid, quasi-suicidal statement come from his sensible best friend was surprising and disturbing. He reminded himself that Danno was drunk. That in itself was unusual, but his whole mood was strangely odd, and Steve couldn't quite chalk it all up to the liquor.

Commandingly, Steve said, "No, Danno! You're coming with me."

"So, you _**are**_ going to arrest me?" Danno almost happily commented as they walked toward the parking lot together.

"No, I'm taking you home in my car." Steve had a firm hold on his friend's arm and wasn't letting go.

"But, I can drive…."

"Ordinarily you can, but not tonight."

"Hey … have I ever told you you scare me the way you drive?"

Steve gave Danny a serious scowling look as they lumbered along to the large Mercury, "I think you've mentioned it. C'mon."

* * *

Steve McGarrett sat in the Governor's office. Even with his superior, who was also his friend and knew him so well, his mask was in place. Stern, edgy, in control.

After the party the night before, Governor Jameson had requested Steve to come to his office first thing this morning. He was not told why.

He was surprised then, even shocked, to hear that the topic of discussion was his second-in-command, whose first-class conduct up until yesterday was without tarnish. As with all those associated with Five-O, he had an enviable professional reputation, as solid as the rock under Honolulu.

 _What's going on here? First last night, and now this._ Steve had not shared with anyone his disturbing post-party encounter with a drunken Dan Williams. The Governor could not see the storm that surged just behind Steve's eyes.

As Governor Jameson relayed the incident at the party with Genevieve Davaut, Steve presumed, as the Governor also had, that mistaken identity was the source of the lady's discomfort. After all, Williams was a common name. But then again, something upset Danno too last night.

As usual, the Governor was animated in his description. "Before she got in the car, she told me she _**knew**_ of whom she was speaking. She recognized him, as well as his name. She said he was born and raised in Hawaii and that he went to Berkeley, which is where she knew him."

 _It_ _ **was**_ _Danno who upset her, and… probably_ _ **she**_ _who upset Danno._

Around the edges of the McGarrett mask, the Governor could see something materialize – concern, disbelief, defensiveness. "Steve, do you have any idea what this is about?"

Covert about his own nervous thoughts, Steve smiled and insisted, "No, sir, none at all. In fact, I find it hard to believe that Danno could have done anything last night or ever before to have upset her. What is it exactly that he is supposed to have done to offend her so violently?"

"I don't know. She didn't tell me and was quite anxious to leave. Now look, I don't know her really at all, but her friend Carmen Espinosa, who brought her to the party, is a good friend and an important political supporter. Mrs. Davaut is likely to be a believable source. If there is someone in my administration who has any questionable background, I need to know. So, what happened at Berkeley?"

Steve protested, "But Governor, you know Danno! Whatever happened—IF it happened—her reaction could be way out of proportion. It could have been just some misunderstanding or hurt feelings…, and from that many years ago? And whatever it is, it's most likely personal, and consequently none of our business."

Leaning forward to address the Five-O head intently, the Governor maintained, "Steve, I'm telling you, I want to know."

In utter frustration with the implied accusations, Steve let his mask down perceptibly. "But it's Danno, Governor, come on!"

"Steve, don't be impertinent," Governor Jameson ordered.

Steve took a deep breath and stood to leave. "My apologies, sir. I'll talk to Danno."

"Today. Is he in the office now?" was the Governor's impatient follow-up.

Steve shuffled mentally. _Time to cover._ "No, sir, not yet, but he'll be in later. I'll find out what his connection is with Mrs. Davaut, and we'll go from there."

The Governor also stood and looked intently at the head of Five-O. "Steve, _**I**_ want to know what you've found out, and _**I'll**_ go from there. As I said before, with an election coming up, I can't have someone in my administration who is going to be found to have a problem in his past."

Narrowing his eyes with distaste and suspicion, Steve countered, "What are you saying, sir? He's my right hand and a great cop," then more softly but earnestly, "and a good man."

"I'm saying that if there is something from his past that we don't know about that is damaging in any way…," the Governor paused as if it were hard to say, "Williams is **out**."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Danny had just gotten out of the shower and dressed into his suit pants, shirt, and tie. It was a workday, but he was long ago late for work. It was almost 11:00 am.

 _Maybe I'm kidding myself. I may not be welcome at the office today. I wonder whether Steve has told everybody about my getting drunk last night. He either told them or had to make some excuse for my not being there. And who knows what Mrs. Davaut has told the Governor and Steve by now?_

Danny heard the doorbell to his apartment ring loudly, which incidentally didn't do much for his aching head. Through the peephole, he could see who it was and wasn't surprised. He opened the door with "Good morning," and walked back into the apartment, not waiting for his guest to enter.

Steve came in warily, battling all at once many conflicting emotions—concern for Danno's well-being, and disappointment and anger at him for the whole drunken incident last night. On top of that were the threats emanating from the Governor and the slanderous lady from the mainland. He had a lot on his mind, but his mask was firmly in place.

Eyeing his friend's every move, Steve followed Danny as he headed for the sofa, which was still quite askew from being slept on all night. After bringing him home, Steve had left Danny there, passed out, to sleep off his alcohol.

Stopping at the sofa where Danno had turned around toward him, Steve extended his closed hand to give him something. "Here are your car keys. I had an officer take me over to the Cultural Center, and I brought your car home. I need you to take me back to the office. I assume you're going in?"

"Yes…, I'd like to," he said, unsure of himself. Then sincerely, he continued, "Thank you for bringing my car, and…," embarrassed, he paused, "thank you for bringing me home last night."

Glad that Danny was appearing to be more like himself now, Steve responded genuinely, "You're welcome. How's your head?"

"Like you'd expect. It's pounding like the big surf at the Pipeline," Danny admitted with a frown.

Steve nodded. "Good. I hope it hurts. Maybe that will make you think twice before you do something like that again," he calmly scolded.

Steve shifted on his feet. Suddenly the mask slipped, and the anger spilled out. "What the hell were you doing last night? I've never seen you that drunk before. And at the Governor's party?"

"It was AFTER the party," Danny defended. "And, I don't think anyone saw me drunk, except you."

Frustrated, Steve shook his head, still filled with concern over the cause of the aberrant behavior. "Other than the hangover, how are you, really?"

"I'm OK," as he sat down on the sofa.

"That's it?" as Steve sat down in a nearby chair.

"What else do you want me to say?"

Steve noted the sour, disrespectful tone in Danno's voice. _Unusual_ , but he'd let it pass. "Danno, do you remember last night?"

Danny's defensiveness continued, "Yeah, why?"

Steve looked him straight in the eye. "Because you were more than just wasted. You were belligerent, angry, depressed. You broke the plaque the Governor gave you."

Sadly, Danny admitted, "Yeah, I know." He stood and walked over to the mini-bar in his apartment, then shoved his hands in his pockets. He talked as he walked to the kitchen. "You know that's typical of any drunk, Steve. I'm over it now. I'm fine." Then, he poured himself a glass of water.

Doubtful that this was the whole story and mentally connecting the two problems together, he ventured into the other explosive topic he needed to cover with Danno. "Was getting drunk a result of seeing someone you hadn't expected to see, or didn't want to see, at the party? Like Genevieve Davaut?"

Danno was taken aback at the sound of her name, but he shouldn't have been. He knew there was a possibility that this would come up.

Steve pressed on. "She was certainly surprised to see you. She was so upset she had to leave the party."

Danny tentatively prodded Steve for how much he knew. "Have you… talked to her?"

"No, but she talked to the Governor," Steve offered, "and now he's gunning for you."

They weren't getting in to work very hurriedly. Steve had called Jenny to let her know where he was in case anybody needed him. He had told her not to expect Danny in today at all. Steve cleared his schedule to spend some needed time with his friend.

Danny's head was killing him and not just from the hangover. His experience with the Davaut family was something he had not intended to relive, ever. The emotional and physical pain it produced for him was real.

"In my junior year at Berkeley, I dated Amy Davaut for a few months. She was a freshman, and it was her first 'adult relationship,' I guess." Danno avoided eye contact and looked at the apartment walls as he dug deep for the memories. "Her parents were wealthy. They were older and doted on her every whim. She was pretty, fun, but spoiled when she didn't get what she wanted. Before long, she got too possessive and too talkative about our 'future' when I wasn't convinced we had a future together."

Danny got quiet, as if he forgot Steve was there. Steve prompted him to continue. "So you broke it off, and she got angry?"

Nodding his head slowly and carefully, Danno picked up the story. "Something like that. It wasn't the type of relationship I wanted long-term, so I backed off."

"And Genevieve Davaut is Amy's mother?" Steve guessed.

"Yes." Danny stopped, then added, "But there's more. After I ended the relationship, Amy overdosed on sleeping pills. She left a note that she did it because of me." Danny paused and looked at Steve as he dug deep within himself to pull up the entire truth as he knew it. "I really have always thought, Steve, that she never meant to kill herself. I think she just wanted to scare us—to guilt ME into staying with her."

Steve could see the misplaced guilt that was meant for Danny had indeed haunted him for many years. "What happened to her?"

Without emotion, Danny recounted the facts of the suicide attempt in a clipped fashion, but his blue eyes looked sad and seemed to have aged years since yesterday. "Amy very nearly succeeded in her attempt. She did, in effect, take her own life, in a way. Irreversible brain damage. At eighteen. She's been in a vegetative state in a nursing home all these years."

Steve had seen so many young people during his time in law enforcement who met similar fates, but it never failed to disgust him. "What a waste. No wonder the mother is such an angry woman."

Then Danny's own anger poured out. "But it wasn't my fault! We were just dating, just having fun! We were kids! She took it too seriously. She took it too hard!" He put his hands on his head as the shouting just made his head hurt worse.

"Easy, easy," Steve soothed as he reached out to touch Danny's arm as it held his head. "I wasn't implying it was your fault…."

Danny cried out in confession, "But she threatened suicide to me, and I ignored it! I thought she was being overly dramatic, just being a spoiled brat! Maybe she decided to prove me wrong…."

Steve continued to try to assuage Danny's feelings of guilt. "Just because Amy made a poor decision that turned out badly for her, that doesn't make it your fault. But it does explain why seeing you at the Governor's event last night reminded Mrs. Davaut of her pain and how she blames you for it."

 _You don't know the half of it, Steve._ For a moment, Danno looked lost again in his memories, while Steve sat with him in silence and solace.

Eventually, Danny reflected aloud again on Mrs. Davaut's accusations. "I guess the fact that my life went on, in spite of everything that happened, is too much for her." Then, matter-of-factly, he added, "Oh, and she indirectly blames me for her husband's death, too."

"What?" Steve exclaimed in disbelief. "What happened to him?"

Taking a deep breath, Danny subconsciously scratched his forehead as he began. "Amy was their only child. After her overdose, Claude Davaut couldn't handle what had happened to Amy. Never went to see her. Over the course of the next year, he just drank himself to death. So, in Mrs. Davaut's eyes, that's all my fault, too."

Danny stared down sadly. "No wonder she hates me. I wiped out her family."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The plan for the next day was to try to get back to normal and the business of law enforcement. Danny would be coming back to work. After leaving Danny's apartment, Steve had met again with the Governor to relay Danny's explanation about the Davaut family and had successfully calmed the Governor's overblown fears about some secret Danny might be harboring.

Hopefully, Mrs. Genevieve Davaut had left on a plane for the mainland never to be heard from again. _Good riddance_ , Steve thought. _You've done enough damage._

Or so he thought.

Another blow arrived in the morning newspaper. GIRLFRIEND'S DEADLY SUICIDE ATTEMPT IN FIVE-O DETECTIVE'S PAST.

Mrs. Davaut had apparently not fulfilled her desire to leave Hawaii as soon as she had the chance. She had instead taken her hate for Dan Williams to the press. In the article, she had slandered him about his responsibility for the long-term condition and eventual death of her daughter Amy. The press had jumped on it, juxtaposing the story for all it was worth against the honor the Governor had just bestowed on the Five-O detectives.

Jameson had already called Steve very early to complain that the article made him look like a fool, having just honored his team. Defending Danny as an innocent party was all Steve could do, and he plead his case with as much vehemence as if Danno had been accused of something much more hideous than contributing to an eighteen-year-old girl's poor judgment when he himself was not much older. Unfortunately, the defense only hit a political wall against which the appearance of wrongdoing was tantamount to absolute guilt.

Somewhat later than planned, Dan Williams appeared in the office, carrying a copy of the offending newspaper. Looking worn, miserable, and defeated, he went directly to Steve's office and landed heavily in one of the white leather chairs across from where Steve was sitting. Without commenting, he unbuttoned his shirt collar, loosened his tie, and just sat and stared.

With the intention of drawing Danny out of his deep funk, Steve began with the bad news. "The Governor's already called. He's not happy, Danno."

Unsurprised, Danny quipped, "No kidding. He should join the club." He was exasperated, frustrated, and on edge. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the back of the chair. Steve observed him and thought he looked terrible, almost ill.

Quietly, Danny spoke up, "I didn't know Amy was dead, Steve."

Steve's heart went out to his friend. "Yeah. The article says she died about six months ago." Beyond the political pressures and the threat to his career, there was no doubt that Danny was hurting in a personal way no one on the outside could fathom.

"I'm glad it's over for her," Danny said compassionately. "But when will this ever end for me? Why didn't Genevieve just leave on that plane? You know that journalist never asked me to comment about this article before it was published, but guess who was camped out outside my apartment this morning waiting for a reaction?"

Ready to resolve the issues at the root of this pain, Steve suggested, "Danno, we could ignore this and hope it passes, or we could go see this Genevieve Davaut and have it out with her."

Danny rose to an alert state and said, "We? Steve, it's not your fight. It's mine, and I've dragged the rest of Five-0 through enough of it already. But I think I need to deal with my own feelings about this before I can talk to her." Staring down at the newspaper, Danno said absently, "I can't believe I didn't know Amy had died."

Steve was again struck by how not knowing about Amy's death had reopened his deep pain about how her life had turned out, even more so than seeing Mrs. Davaut had already done. He wondered for the first time whether he should suggest Danny speak to someone professionally who could help him deal with his emotional state.

Just then, Chin rushed into Steve's office. HPD needed Five-O at a business in the financial district. A disgruntled—and armed—customer had taken hostages.

The men sprang to their feet and hit the floor running out of the office, getting back to the work they knew so well, forgetting for now the newspaper article, accusations, and undeserved blame.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Dan Williams sat alone perched on a nearby roof, poised at the edge, with his Browning rifle aimed down at the front of the building across the street. To the muffled sound of the bullhorn down below, he tolerantly waited for the possible necessity and the opportunity to shoot the hostage-taker, provided McGarrett's ongoing negotiations did not succeed and the hostages' lives were threatened.

 _C'mon, Steve. Get this guy to keep talking._

 _I don't want to have to shoot, especially today. I don't know if I can shoot straight—I feel too shaky. I might hurt someone else unintentionally. I shouldn't even be up here, but Steve is counting on me. I need to do my job right now, but…_

 _Amy's dead. After all these years in a nursing home, just lying there-and she dies and almost nobody notices. Was it really my fault that she laid there at all? Why did she have to take it all so hard that she would try to kill herself? I wasn't worth that._

 _He's coming out with a hostage, but he hasn't surrendered yet. Go, Steve. Get him to give up._

 _I can't do this today. My hands are trembling. It's so hot up here. I feel tight inside._

 _That Mrs. Davaut! It must be terrible to lose a daughter, but how far and how long will her hate go? Going to the press here in Honolulu! They love this! After the Governor's honor, being able to take Five-O back down a notch or two. And that's my fault, too. It's not fair to the rest of the guys._

The walkie-talkie nearby startled him as it sputtered and came alive, "Danno, stand down," Steve ordered. "Suspect is surrendering peacefully." So lost in his own thoughts, he almost hadn't noticed what was happening on the street.

 _Thank God. I've got to get down from this roof. The air up here's so thin, I can't breathe._

Without even answering Steve' order on the walkie-talkie, Danny turned around away from the roof's edge and propped his rifle up beside him as he slid down to sit for a moment, in relief that the hostage situation had ended without gunfire—his, in particular. He pulled his knees up to his chest, crossed his arms across his knees, rested his forehead down on his arms, and tried to take in deep mouthfuls of the tropical air.

 _How in the hell did this week manage to go so wrong?_

 _Amy's dead, and I didn't know. How could I not know?_

 _Will everyone believe the newspapers? How long will I have to live with the rumors and the questions? And will the Governor decide I'm too much of a liability to him and Five-O?_

He was so glad he was alone. Right now, he didn't look much like a tough, confident cop. Why was he still shaking?

 _It's so quiet up here-and private. A perfect place to just sit and have a good cry. Can't do that, even here. Gotta hold it in._

 _Just the same, maybe I'll stay up here forever, but then…._

It was time to go down to the street and get back in the groove before someone comes looking for him. Trying to fight away the multiple tracks of thought and emotion that kept taunting him, Danno stood up determinedly, only to sway from lightheadedness and the pressure he felt in his chest.

 _Oh, this really hurts. What is this?_

He rubbed his knuckles against his breastbone trying to relieve the pain, but it didn't help.

Danny staggered a bit, trying to make it to the rooftop stairway door, leaving his walkie-talkie and rifle forgotten at the roof's edge. He suddenly fell to his knees on the loose rocky flat surface of the rooftop and supported his leaning body with one hand, while his other hand went to further loosen his tie and tug at his shirt _._

 _I've got to get some air. What is happening?_

He feared he was about to lose consciousness, but he didn't. The disabling physical feeling of pain and pressure was quickly being matched by the rising panic he felt _._

 _I need help…._

"Danny, are you coming down, bruddah, or are you working on your tan?" the walkie-talkie chirped. He recognized Ben's voice.

Danny could no more reach the walkie-talkie and reply than bound down the stairs ready to wrap up the crime scene.

Down on the street level, Ben urged, "Danny? Danny? Respond, please."

As the suspect was taken away in a squad car and the unharmed hostages were tended to, Steve overheard Ben's unanswered pleas to Danny. He called over, "Ben, what's going on? Isn't Danno coming down yet?"

"Look, Steve," Ben said as he pointed up questioningly to the rooftop where they had earlier seen Danny in sharpshooter position. Holding their hands up on shield their eyes from the glare of the bright sun, the two Five-O cops stood staring as McGarrett pulled his binoculars up to his eyes to get a clearer view.

What he saw frightened him. It was Danny's rifle, the barrel of the gun propped at the roof's edge-unmanned.

He and Ben both knew that Danno would never just leave his rifle there, and he had had plenty of time to come down from the building's roof.

Steve started jogging toward the building's entrance, with Ben following closely behind. All the while, he spoke again and again into the walkie-talkie, "Danno, come in. Danno, report." No response. His jog turned into a run.

In a bare few minutes, Steve and Ben arrived on the rooftop with weapons drawn, cautiously opening the door in case there were an unseen threat. What they saw was just as scary—Danny on his knees and one hand on the roof's square, with his other hand held against his chest.

Holstering their weapons, Steve and Ben ran over to Danny just in time to see him tip over to one side, his braced arm having given way to weakness.

Steve grabbed Danny's arms from the front, while Ben supported his back. "Danno, what's wrong? Danno, answer me!" Expressions of worry and shock loomed on McGarrett's face as he tried to understand what was happening. Steve moved one hand to Danno's head and touched his cold and clammy face as he spoke to him.

Danno still held one hand to his chest and moved it to his throat, but with the other he ineffectually grasped at the lapel of Steve's suit coat. Steve reached up to grab his hand and held it tight as Danno gasped to say, "I… need… help…."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

With a slow-pumping IV and oxygen running through a nasal cannula, Danny slept lightly. Steve watched him from a nearby guest chair in the hospital room and over and over in his head relived getting an ill Danno off that roof and to the hospital.

The last few hours had been torture for Danny. He suffered terribly from the pressure in his chest and the rough handling of the myriad rescue and medical workers who came to his aid and the numerous police officers who provided more moral support for their ill friend than any real assistance.

When Danny had arrived at the hospital, he was quizzed unendingly, administered nitroglycerin for the chest pain, run through multiple tests with huge indistinguishable machinery, and poked with needles of all sizes.

Steve had tracked his friend throughout all his entries and exits from test after test. It seemed meaningless to Steve, though he trusted it was all purposeful. He checked in with him frequently, reassuring the conscious and hurting man that all was under control. With a sharp headache from the nitro treatment, he finally, mercifully, was allowed to just rest.

Masterminding all this activity was the ever-calm, always cranky, and beyond trustworthy Dr. Bergman, to whom it all made perfect sense. There was no question that he suspected a heart attack. Steve was not surprised at the suspicion given that he and Ben had discovered Danno doubled-over with chest pain and short of breath.

After he was settled in a hospital room, Steve was allowed to sit with him, where his thoughts turned to the future, as Danno finally felt some pain relief and rested.

Was Danno's career over, and with it, their inter-dependent working relationship and close friendship? Steve could hardly ponder the possibility. McGarrett and Williams had seen each other almost every day for years, backed each other up, and served as the other's sounding board. Each kept a respectable distance from the other's personal life but if needed would be there in a heartbeat, serving as pseudo-family because neither had any close by. _Two very different men, but one ohana._

Lulled and comforted by the steady even sound of the beat of Danno's heart monitor, a tired Steve sat completely still and stared at the floor as his thoughts drifted over the last few days. So many things had happened with Danno this week, starting with the mysterious lady Davaut at the Governor's party, a drunken Danny deposited on his apartment sofa later that night, the revelation of a painful period at Berkeley, and now this occurrence on the rooftop—a state of affairs gone from suspiciously bad to unimaginably worse.

The hospital room door opened gently and in entered Dr. Bergman. He wore a slight smile on his similarly tired, concerned face. Looking first at Danny's sleeping form, then at the heart monitor screen, then at the ever-present head of Five-O, he spoke, "How's it, Steve?"

With an expectant look, Steve said softly, "You tell me, Doc. How is he?"

Doc was reassuringly calm. "He's OK. Let's wake him up and talk a bit."

Steve had been so glad to see Danny having settled into a restful state. "Wake him up? But he needs the rest…."

Looking meaningfully into Steve's eyes, Doc stated, "He should feel better now, I hope—we'll see." Touching Danny's arm, he lightly shook him, "Danny? Danny, wake up now. It's Doc Bergman. Steve's here, too. Wake up and talk to us."

Danny stirred restlessly but did not wake. A little louder, Doc spoke again, "That's one expensive nap you're taking, young man."

At that, the patient opened his weary blue eyes. "Doc." He slowly turned his head toward the other side of his bed to see Steve, standing tensely in full protective mode. "Steve."

Smiling encouragingly, Steve greeted him, "Hello, Danno. You've had one hell of a day. How are you feeling?"

Pausing before he answered to do a bit of self-assessment, he answered, "Better…, I think."

"Are you?" said Doc.

Coming around a little more, Danny now noticed the ways he didn't feel better yet. "Yeah, but my head is killing me. And my chest is sore and tight. What happened to me?"

Anxious for an answer to that question himself, Steve turned to look toward Doc, who raised his hand to forestall any more questions.

"Danny, I'm sure you know we've suspected a heart problem, but we won't know for sure until tomorrow when we have the results from some of the tests we gave you today. But in my opinion, I don't believe you've suffered a heart attack."

Danny breathed out heavily, "Whew." Steve leaned back and relaxed somewhat in cautious relief. Danny looked up at Doc in confusion and concern. "Then what was all that chest pain? I've never felt like that before."

Taking up the questions for his ill friend, Steve pressed, "What was it, then? He couldn't breathe for the pain," Steve said, as if Doc needed reminding of the type and severity of Danny's symptoms.

Not directly answering the question yet, Doc kept his attention on his patient and continued, "Danny, how sudden were these symptoms, really? Had you perhaps been feeling them for longer than you've been letting on…before you got up on that roof?"

Danny looked guiltily at Steve and Doc, "Maybe since the day before, and this morning, but not as bad as during the hostage crisis."

Steve grimaced toward Danny at the lack of information prior to the intense attack. "Why didn't you tell me? You should never have been up on that roof at all!"

Earnestly but quietly, Danno replied, "But you always count on me in situations like that, Steve. I just put aside the feelings—you and I have both done that for years when we were sick. Besides, I just thought maybe the way I was feeling had to do with the stress of the last few days… you know." Steve nodded in understanding.

Doc Bergman bellowed, "Well, _**I**_ don't know! Why doesn't someone tell the good Doctor what's going on so I can properly treat my patient?"

Danny gave Steve a look of resignation and weariness. Addressing Doc, Steve answered, "You must not have seen the newspaper this morning…."

Doc shook his head no. "I've been too busy. Did I miss something?"

Looking sympathetically toward Danny, Steve admitted, "Yeah, you did. But we want to hear more about your diagnosis."

Sighing deeply in frustration, Doc continued, "As in criminal investigations, often the cause of a serious health event is not necessarily one thing but a confluence of several, and I think that is the case with Danny's illness here. I believe that your problem today could be angina and/or it could be esophageal spasms, both of which are painful, real, health problems that are made worse by stressful situations. You also may not have realized that you have a touch of pneumonia."

"I have pneumonia?" Danny gasped as he tried to process the unexpected diagnosis. "And angina, but it wasn't a heart attack?" Steve put his hand on Danny's shoulder in support as he, too, tried to understand the complexity of Doc's findings.

"I don't _**think**_ so, but we're going to wait for the test results, do a stress test, and continue to monitor you for a day or two. Either the spasms or the angina is probably chiefly what you felt. Angina is heart pain that does not specifically damage the heart, but it can be a precursor to actual heart problems and may be a continuing problem for you."

The news worried Danny. "You mean I might have to just live with pain like this? I can't do my job under those circumstances…."

Attempting to soothe the strain he heard in Danny's voice, Doc addressed him directly, "Danny, don't jump to conclusions. We will start you on some medication to help you manage the pain and the spasms while we do more testing and of course some antibiotics for the pneumonia. We'll make sure we haven't missed anything," he reassured both men.

Reaching for the good news in Doc's report, Steve said, "Danno, that's much better news than it could have been, right, Doc?"

"Yes, it is," Doc answered. "But we cannot ignore that stress could have played a part in this incident, too. Is it possible that this unusual tension of the last few days you've referred to likely added fuel to the fire?"

Neither Steve nor Danny responded to Doc's question, so he continued to prod Danny. "I realize that you guys live daily with more tension and trauma than probably all the patients in the coronary care unit combined." Compassionately, he persisted, "But, there must be something above and beyond the ordinary going on to have troubled you this much and exacerbated your physical conditions, Danny, to the point that you collapsed."

Danny closed his eyes against the weight of what had upset him now for days and then this morning culminating in finding out that Amy had died. He was much too tired to explain to Doc about the Davaut family, not to mention getting blasted drunk, so mercifully Steve took it upon himself to give Doc an abbreviated version.

Reliving it all in his mind, Danny lay there solemnly as Steve told Doc about the unsettling nature of the encounter with Genevieve, his talk with Steve the morning after he had had to deliver him home from the party, finding out the press had become involved, and discovering that Amy had died. The warring emotions inside him turned on Steve's every word.

 _What right do I have to have lived these years with good health and success? Amy lay forgotten for years by everyone but her mother. And so if her mother needs to blame someone, why not me?_

 _Maybe it_ _ **was**_ _my fault. Did I lead her on? Did I take advantage of her emotional dependence on me? It was so long ago, but in some ways, it seems like yesterday. Maybe I deserve to …._

"Danny?" Doc intoned worriedly.

"What?" Danny finally answered, after a delay. He looked up at Doc absently. Steve had a good idea where Danny's mind had been.

"Danny, from what Steve is telling me, this past you share with this dragon lady from California is hurting you pretty deep, even after all this time." Doc explained in uncharacteristically soothing tones. "It's not doing your body any good to beat yourself up like this over something that was not your fault."

"Doc, are you saying what happened to me up on that roof is all in my head? It wasn't! I was miserable and in pain!" Danny exclaimed. Alarmed, he felt his grit, fortitude, resilience, self-discipline and inner strength were all now in question, in front of his boss who demanded all of that and more, with the long-standing directive, _'don't bleed'._

He looked to Steve, who searched his face in return with deep worry. "Easy, Danno, easy. Listen to what Doc has to say."

Dr. Bergman was adamant in denying the wounds to his pride. "No, no, Danny. That's not at all what I'm saying. I don't mean to diminish in the slightest the pain that brought you into the ER today. Your physical problems are real, but the strain of the last few days is making your physical symptoms worse. Do you understand that?"

More calmly now, he answered, "Yeah, Doc, I guess. I'm sorry." Danny turned his head to encompass Steve in his reply as he said, "I'm just so tired, of everything." He reached up and draped one arm across his forehead and eyes.

The words and action told both men that Danny was done talking and wanted to be left alone. Doc nodded. "Danny, I think we've worn you out enough. We'll talk more tomorrow. How's your head?"

"Terrible."

"Your headache will improve with the medication. Be sure and let the nurses know if you have more pain of any kind during the night, and I mean it! No more holding out on how you feel like you did to save Steve a little worry. He more than made up for it today, I assure you."

Steve's eyes grew large as he nodded in not-so-subtle agreement. "Danno, listen to the man. He's taken good care of you today, as always. I'll just sit here while you go back to sleep."

Moving his arm back down to the bed, Danny opened his eyes. "You don't have to, Steve. I'm OK."

"I know. I'll be here for a while just the same," Steve insisted.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget what I said about the pain," Doc said pointedly. He and Steve exchanged glances that bore shadows of unsettled anxiety about their friend.

"Thanks, Doc," Danny uttered, sincerely.

* * *

Much later, as Steve left Danno's hospital room quietly, he heard a voice from down the hall. "Mr. McGarrett?"

McGarrett turned to see Andrew Fujikawa approaching him from the direction of the elevator. "Andy. What are you doing here? And, please, call me Steve," as he extended his hand to greet him.

Andrew Fujikawa was an impressive young attorney in Honolulu. A native of the big island, he was creating quite a name for himself in the courtroom. Although McGarrett had never encountered him as an adversary in any court cases, he was acquainted with him primarily because he was Danny's friend.

"Steve, then." He pressed on urgently. "I heard about what happened with Danny today. How is he?"

"He'll be OK. It doesn't appear to have been a heart attack. Doc thinks with rest and medication, he should be fine to get back to work," Steve reassured Danny's friend, with a tired smile. "But he's asleep right now," Steve offered, hoping that Andy wouldn't want to disturb him.

"Oh, sure, I understand. I just wanted to make sure he was all right—especially after that article appeared in the newspaper about him. That was bad enough, but then this." Andy seemed very sincerely disturbed at the turn of events.

The attorney's visit and obvious concern for Danno surprised Steve somewhat. He didn't realize that their friendship was that close. As he and Andy walked down the hall away from Danny's room, Steve confirmed, "I don't think the newspaper article helped."

Speaking off-handedly, Andy responded, "I doubt it. I've been trying to convince Danny for years that what happened to Amy Davaut was not his fault, but I know his tendency to take blame to heart," as he continued walking next to Steve.

McGarrett stopped dead in his tracks and spun toward Andy, who also halted his steps in response. He narrowed his eyes and questioned, "You already knew about Amy Davaut before you saw it in the newspaper?!"

"Well, yeah. After all, I was there," Andy said, matter-of-factly. "But don't tell the people at the newspaper!"

Steve was taken aback, "What?"

"You didn't know? Danny and I became friends when we were both at Berkeley. I knew Amy when she was dating Danny, and I was around after she ended up brain-dead. Believe me, that newspaper article had little resemblance to the truth." Talking with his hands to emphasize his points, Andy summarized, "None of what happened was Danny's fault, but he's never listened to me about that. Anymore, he just hasn't wanted to talk about any of it."

Ever the investigator, Steve wanted to hear from this eyewitness. "Andy, do you have time for some coffee? I need to know more about when Danno was at Berkeley…."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Steve McGarrett and Andy Fujikawa sat in the hospital cafeteria over their second cups of decaf. Steve was incredulous at what he was hearing.

"Andy, are you telling me that Danno lost his baseball scholarship over this Amy Davaut fiasco?"

"Yeah. He was so distraught after Amy overdosed, he lost that competitive edge, that drive you need when you play college ball—when you have to live it every day to be successful. It didn't help that the Davaut family had connections to the university. Her mother would not leave Danny alone! After Amy's father died, it was even worse." Fujikawa shook his head sadly.

"What do you mean she wouldn't leave him alone?" Steve pursued.

"I've never been sure, but I've always suspected that Amy's parents had something to do with Danny losing his scholarship. Mrs. Davaut was obsessive in blaming him. Apparently she still is, or she wouldn't have gone to the press as she did." The attorney grumbled in his friend's defense, "She's got some nerve. It's really surprising considering what Danny could bring out against her, if he just would."

McGarrett looked up in surprise yet again. "And what is that exactly?"

Now it was Andy's turn to look surprised, "You mean Danny didn't tell you what else she did? No, I guess he wouldn't."

"Don't beat around the bush, counselor," McGarrett huffed impatiently. "What are you talking about?"

Andy Fujikawa drew up very close to Steve McGarrett for the full effect of the facts he was about to share. "Get this, Steve. Genevieve Davaut intentionally poisoned Danny. Almost killed him."

At his words, McGarrett's face drew up into an intense scowl of shock and disgust. "What? When was this? And where?"

"When we were still at Berkeley. We were both seniors. It was right after her husband died, over a year after Amy's overdose. Mrs. Davaut invited Danny to her home, ostensibly to make amends. Instead, she fed him some drink laced with a household cleaner."

Steve could not believe the despicable nature of this lady to attempt murder of the young Dan Williams. He narrowed his eyes in disbelief. "Are you sure about this? Were you there when it happened?"

Andy explained, "I went with him to their house. I was with Danny the whole evening and took him to the infirmary later that night when he got so ill. He was transferred to intensive care at the hospital and stayed there for a week. It's amazing he was able to keep his grades up and finish his degree, but he did it."

So angry, McGarrett couldn't contain himself. He stood up suddenly and started to pace back and forth near the small cafeteria table where they had been sitting. His nervous energy exploded verbally. "She almost murdered Danno, blaming him for something her daughter did?" Then turning to pierce Andy's eyes with another burning question, he asked, "So why is this woman walking around, taking a vacation here in Hawaii, rubbing elbows with the Governor and his cronies, instead of sitting in jail in California?"

Unaccustomed to McGarrett's penchant for pacing when he was nervous, impatient, or tense, Andy stood up to stop him and meet him face to face to answer. "Steve," Andy paused for effect, "Danny never pressed charges. In fact, I'm fairly sure he led the doctors and police to believe that he had accidentally ingested the poison."

At that, Steve stared at Andy and ground his teeth together until the muscles in his jaws rippled the skin of his face from the pressure. Knowing the answer to his next question but asking it anyway, he said, "Why the hell not?"

Andy was measured in the only response he could give. "You know who has the only answer to that question, and he's right upstairs."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Mrs. Davaut, I'll bet that you can guess what one of Hawaii's leading industries is, can't you?"

Angling her nose upward, she responded, "I would suppose that it's pineapples or something…" Her attitude was uncaring and confused about why Steve McGarrett would be making such dull conversation.

Pacing his office commandingly, Steve announced, "Tourism. As Head of the State Police unit, I am sworn to protect that part of our economy, ordinarily, and Hawaii's people by whatever legal means I have. But today I am going to ask one tourist to leave our lovely state, and that's you."

"Leave? Me? Well, I never!"

Steve stopped making circles around his office and prodded her, "The night of the Governor's party, you couldn't wait to leave. What changed? Why are you still here?"

Coolly, she replied, "My friends here have made me feel quite welcome. There's no one in California for me now. And I have come to enjoy it here."

Steve interrupted angrily, "I'm sure you have! I know all about your daughter and Dan Williams. You know exactly what you're doing to him just by being here, and I submit that that's the only reason you're staying. You DO realize that he's in the hospital, as we speak?"

Smiling quickly, "Is he really?" Then covering for herself, she hid her smile and looked down. Dropping her act of ignorance, she surrendered to participation in the conversation and the reality of the situation to which he referred, saying "If he can't take a little bad publicity, then maybe you'll see that he doesn't deserve this highly-placed position."

Charging at her with all the determination of a bull taunted by a red flag, McGarrett pointed his finger at her, saying, "What I see is a bitter lady with a grudge and the willingness to hurt someone in whatever way she can, physically or emotionally, for something for which he was not responsible."

Sternly she began, "You don't know whom you're protecting, Mr. McGarrett. It was his fault that my daughter spent 15 years in a vegetative state, not knowing night from day, or her mother's touch, or her father's loss…." She started to cry. "Dan Williams is responsible for all of that, and he has no right to be comfortable or happy or healthy…or to hold the high position he has in your organization!"

Her tears turned to laughter now as she said, "Besides, you can't be accusing me of putting him in the hospital. I did absolutely nothing to hurt him, not physically anyway."

"And Dan Williams did nothing, not physically anyway, to hurt your daughter. There is no evidence against him that he is to blame for your daughter's condition, and yet you talk to the Governor, and you go to the press to ruin his reputation and maybe his career. Where is your evidence against him? Where does it say that he didn't have a right to end a relationship honestly and expect that your daughter could handle that as an adult? Where, Mrs. Davaut?!"

Now cowering under the powerful anger of the tall, dark-haired man, whose steel was showing brightly in his every expression, Genevieve gathered all her fiber to stand up to make her case in her best well-to-do manner. "I say again, Mr. McGarrett, there is no evidence against me."

"We'll see. I'd be happy to make my accusations in a more formal setting. Call yourself an attorney. If we get to that point, Mrs. Davaut, you'll wish you had just left Hawaii of your own free will when you had the chance."

"And, by the way," Steve McGarrett continued, "As far as Dan Williams' character, I happen to know him better than you ever will, Mrs. Davaut, and he will _**not**_ be removed from his position of authority on my team. The only reason you even struck a nerve with him is his level of compassion and his tendency to accept blame even when it is undeserved. But know this, Mrs. Davaut: he has courage **and** strength. He has faced down more evil in his lifetime than you ever will in yours…, except when you look in the mirror."

Genevieve Davaut reacted to that decisive jab by turning to give Steve McGarrett a wicked, malevolent look, then lifting her chin high in the air to express her offense. She could see the distaste with which he had uttered the cruel words, but recovered quickly and said, "No matter now. The press is having a field day with his past, and after it's all over, maybe he won't be so powerful in the end. Just desserts." She turned to walk toward the big office's door.

McGarrett stopped her, "Oh, but just one more thing, Mrs. Davaut…."

"What is it _now_ , Mr. McGarrett?" she replied, without turning around, but her eyes perked up, and she listened intently to McGarrett.

"If you stay here in Hawaii, there will be a conversation that will have to take place between myself and the San Francisco police about possible charges in a poisoning some years back. Regarding evidence against you in that charge, I can produce, in fact, not one but two witnesses to that event. I would be more than happy to make the arrest myself and entertain requests for your extradition back home to face those charges."

After reflecting a few quiet moments, Genevieve Davaut turned to evilly eye Steve McGarrett once more. "Now I really must go."

Steve McGarrett raised his eyebrows high and agreed, "Yes, **you really must**."

As Genevieve Davaut reached the office door, it opened from the outside and in walked Dan Williams. Both Steve and the lady were more than shocked to see Danny there.

"Danno, what are you doing here? You shouldn't even be released from the hospital yet…." Steve implored.

Moving slowly but putting up his hand toward Steve to forestall any panic from his boss, "I'm alright, Steve, really."

Closing the office door behind him and turning toward Genevieve, Dan Williams unemotionally acknowledged her presence. "Mrs. Davaut, what are you doing here?"

Genevieve Davaut turned to glance at McGarrett, then looked straight into Danny's face. "I was summoned."

Danny looked at Steve with concern, then back at Mrs. Davaut and continued, "Well, as long as you're here, I want to express my sympathy to you over Amy's death. I didn't know she had passed away until the newspaper article came out yesterday."

After a delay, "Thank you," was all she could say, and then she looked down and away. Steve McGarrett was gratified to see some shame in the woman in the face of Danno's graceful expression of sympathy.

Coming to stand steadfastly in front of her to command her attention, Danny put both hands in the pockets of his suit pants as he said, "Mrs. Davaut, since I have the opportunity, I want to tell you something."

"Well, talk quickly. I'm afraid I'm leaving for the mainland as soon as I can get a flight. What is it?" she asked coldly.

Steve McGarrett also waited for what Danny was going to say. Was he going to slam her for the pain—physical and emotional—she had caused him? Something in him hoped so. He also hoped that whatever it was, it would be healing words for Dan Williams.

"I've never thought that Amy meant to kill herself. I really believe more today than ever that she only meant to scare us—me, you, and her father. I don't think she would ever have intentionally caused her own death—or caused you all the pain you have suffered for years."

"Why do you say this to me now? Now, that she's dead?"

"I thought it might be a comfort to you. I've had a lot of time to think about it, and I have thought about her, and grieved for her, and for you."

"You don't know grief, Danny! I'll never have peace, knowing all she could think about those years ago was you. Did she think of me, her father, all the love we had given her—that we could have still given her? No, just you. That's all she cared about."

Danny felt his previous will to be gracious melting away and snapped at her, "Ohhhhh! So that's why you hate me! Not that you blame me for Amy's death, but that she seemed to love or need me more than she loved or needed you! Now the truth comes out!"

Genevieve Davaut stared wide-eyed at Dan Williams and seemed immoveable. "Apparently, Danny. Otherwise, she would still be here today, living a full life, as you are." Suddenly, the tears burst from Genevieve's eyes, and she was inconsolable.

His heart softening, Danny said, "Look, she was eighteen. Through the years, I've seen a lot of death on this job, including suicide and people lost too young for no good reason. We'll never really know what was happening in Amy's mind. But I thought it might matter to you that she really did know she had a lot to live for, other than me."

Knowing an embrace from him would not be welcomed or comforting, Danny stood there quietly and painfully waited out her emotional catharsis, as did Steve.

After some moments of seeing her tears were not drawing the intended sympathy from her onlookers, she sniffed and said dismissively, "Well, I won't bother you again, Da… , I mean, Mr. Williams."

Steve added boldly, "I should hope not."

With that, Dan Williams opened the office door, and Genevieve Davaut walked out of his life, forever.

As he closed the door behind her, Dan started walking unsteadily toward the white chairs in Steve's office. Steve recognized his weakness and quickly rushed over to give him a hand so he could sit down.

"Are you alright?" Steve asked of his friend.

"Yeah. That just took more out of me than I expected," as he leaned back on the chair's tufted leather and closed his eyes for a moment. "Steve, why was she here, anyway?"

"I decided she needed a little more convincing to leave the islands. I approached it my way, and you approached it your way." Smiling admiringly at Danno, he said, "I think you took the wind out of her sails. That took a lot of guts."

"I just hope it's over. It's over for Amy. I'm sorry that she's dead, but I'm not sorry that she's out of that limbo she lived in for so many years. It's better for her mother this way, too—maybe she can get over the pain now and remember her daughter from when she was alive and vibrant. And maybe I can move on, too…"

Danny's demeanor took on an ominous tone. "Unless the Governor has other plans for me…." He cast a gloomy glance at Steve, who glanced back with an encouraging smile.

"Don't worry. I'll talk to him again. He'll settle down. We may not be the most politically astute members of his administration, but I think he'd have a hard time getting rid of us."

"Not 'us' Steve. Me."

"Danno, you're not going anywhere."

Danno smiled.

Steve cajoled Danno. "C'mon. Let's take you home—again. And no comments about my driving!"

 **PAU**

4


End file.
